


in semblence

by mayachain



Series: birthday!verse [56]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Background Relationships, Birthday, Double Life, Gen, Hogwarts Fifth Year, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Post-Canon, Pre-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:21:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22184758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayachain/pseuds/mayachain
Summary: Four times Severus pretended to be someone else on his birthday.
Relationships: Lily Evans Potter & Severus Snape, Remus Lupin/Severus Snape, Teddy Lupin & Severus Snape
Series: birthday!verse [56]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/6020
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	in semblence

**January 9th, 1969**

The deep bruise under his left rib did not hurt. It did not exist. It certainly didn’t make it difficult to lean forward, agonizing to lift his arms, bleeding impossible to accept the offered cup.

His hands did not shake. He did not give anything away with a grimace. There was nothing, no reason, no reason at all to do such a thing. Nothing to draw Lily’s scrutiny, her mother’s concern, Petunia’s anything.

He felt at home in this nice living room with its countless pictures of the girls on the walls. Perfectly at ease bathed in the _feel_ of Lily’s family.

The tea did not spill across his lap. “Thank you, Mrs. Evans,” Severus smiled.

Lily did not twitch.

**January 9th, 1996**

He caught a glimpse of the pensieve as he rushed out the door on his way to Hogsmeade. He should have known that his initial relief at not having to return it immediately had been far too optimistic.

It had been a silver lining almost worth the hassle as to _why_ the contraption sat in his office in the first place. How naive he had been, to hope that – for once – 

Tampering with his memories had never been an option. The Dark Lord would have been right to laugh at an attempt as crude as that. But, oh – 

To have the time to examine from the outside everything Voldemort would potentially see!

How like the world… how like _Potter_ … to cause enough trouble that Severus might very well have to let the chance go to waste.

**January 9th, 2002**

Severus became aware of what he was doing and cursed. He did not drop the ladle as part of him wanted to – he knew better, had known better since he was seven years old – but he did slow down the practised stirring motion considerably. 

A furtive glance told him that Teddy was still engrossed in his colouring book and hadn’t noticed anything wrong. ‘Good,’ he thought; it meant that the boy wouldn’t hear a word.

He cursed some more. The gods take thirty-five years of routine.

There were only five potions masters still alive who might recognize the batch before him as brewed by one Severus Snape. Four, if he took care to adjust the remaining steps. The chances that one of them would come across a sample were minimal. Still, enough damage had been done that he could not now allow Remus’ contacts – much less Neville or Narcissa - to sell any of it.

The risk was too high.

**January 9th, 2020**

‘I didn’t expect this to be fun,’ Severus thought. His eyes were too close to the ground, the manner of dress unfamiliar, and he would swear, despite a certain wizard’s vehement protests, that his hearing was off.

So far, he was fairly convinced he had tallied up eight points… although Remus had almost certainly identified him in turn; that fifth point might not be his to claim.

He walked confidently toward the street veering off from across the statue of Gwendolyn the Wicked. Twenty minutes before he had to decide on his next step.

The witch who was exiting the store he was passing – was it Teddy? If he had been right about the witch by the fountain it couldn’t be Remus again, not by his count.

Victoire?

He hadn’t expected this to be fun, but it _was_. Even if Severus could not have imagined this morning that he would willingly spend the day with the whole family skulking around one of the continent’s busiest magical districts and trying to spot each other glamoured, morphed and polyjuiced in the crowd.

.


End file.
